Circuit-interrupter



C. AALBORG.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FlLED 0CT.17,1918.

1,371,586, Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

l/- 2 SHEETS-SHEET1- WITNESSES: INVENTOR C. AALBORG.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED 0cm. 1?. 1918.

1,371,536. Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

TTORNEY v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A-CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA'.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Pat t d lu 15 1 2 Application filed October 17, 1918. Serial No. 258,600.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN 'AaLBoRc,

a citizen of the United States, and a resio dent of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circuit-Interrupters, of which the follow-- in is a specification.

y invention relates to circuit interrupters and particularly to multi-pole interrupters, the poles or" which are adapted to be successively operated.

One object of my invention is to provide a multi-pole interrupter that shall have a single operating device for successively actuating its various sets of contact memers. A further object of my invention is to provide an interrupter, of the above inclicated character, that shall be simple and inexpensive to construct and etlective in its operation;

In practising my invention I provide three lever arms that are operatively connected to the respective'bridging contact members of the interrupter. A single actuating'shaft .is provided with three sets of actuating toggle mechanisms thata're connected between the shaft and the respective lever arms. The toggle mechanisms are displaced withrespect to each other and are of such construction that, when the shaft is actuated, the lever arms are moved successively to operative 'positionsf By this'arrangement, resistance maybe inserted gradually upon completing a circuit to thus prevent excessive stress on the circult during the switching operation.

v Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a topplan view of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention; and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are views showing the switch in closed position taken along the lines IIII,

III-III and IYIV, "respectively, of

circuit interrupter embodying myinvention comprises, in general, a supporting member 1, a plurality of stationary terminal members "2 that are arranged to constitute units 3, at and 5; movable bridging contact members fi'forthe respective units and an operating mechanism 7 for successively actuating the'bridgingcontact members 6.

The operating mechanism 7 comprises with a lever arm 16 for actuating the same.

A lever 17, having a pin 18 therein, is secured to the shaft 15, and a link 19, havmg a slot 20 therein, is secured to the lever arm bya pin 21 at a point intermediate its ends. The pin 18 is disposed in the slot and is adapted to assume the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings when the unit 5' of the interrupter is in its closed posltion. A link 22 is loosely mounted on the shaft 15 and is provided with a pin 23 that is disposed in the slot 24 of a link 25 which is pivotally mounted, at its upper end, to the pin 21. The links 22 and 25 are adapted to assume a slightly off-center position when the interrupter is closed, as shown in Fig.

2, and are held in this position by a proection or stop member 26 mounted at the side of the lever 17. During the opening operation, the shaft 15 is turned in the clockwise direction. This moves the projection 26 against the link 22 to move the links 22 and 25 to the otherside of the center line actuating.- toggle device, and the links 22 and 25 constitute a holding toggle device for maintaining the lever arm 10 in its upper or closed position. 7

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a lever 28 is secured to the shaft 15 and is operatively connected, through a pin 29, a link 30 and a pin 31, to the lever arm 9. This device constitutes a toggle mechanism for actuating and holding the lever arm 9.

As shown inFig. 4 of the drawings, a lever 32 is secured to the shaft 15 and is provided' with a pin 33 that is movable in the slot 34 of a link 35 the upper end of which is operatively secured, through a pin 36, to the lever arm 8. A link 37 is loosely mounted on the shaft 15 and is provided with a pin 38 that is disposed in the slot 39 in a link 40 which is 'pivotally secured, by the pin 36, to the lever arm- 8. The lever 32 and the link constitute an actuating toggle mechanism which, through a spring 41, is'adapted to actuate the holding mechanism comprising the 'links37 and 40. Aprojection or stop device 47, on the link 32, is; provided for limiting the movement of the link 37;

in one direction and for moving it in the op posite direction. A stop. member 42 may be employed on the supporting. .member 1 to limit the movement of the link 32 and, consequently, to limit the closing move ment of all of the toggle devices.

The slots20, 24, 34. and 39 are of such dimensions'as to permit sequential movement of the pins therein. That is, the slot 20 is substantially as'longas the radial distance between the centers of the pins .18 and ,mova'ble bridging member 6.

23 in the positions shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings to permit the linksl? and 19 to pass their dead-center position while the weight of the lever arm .10 is still exerted betweenthe'pins 21 and 23 through the link 25, while the length of the slots 34 and 3.9, for similar reasons, is substantially equal to one "half the radial distance between the centers of the pins}. 33 and 38, as shown in Fig; ief the drawings; The length of the slot 24 is substantially equal to'the' radial distance between the centersof the pins 33 and 38 to compensate for the similar distances which the pins33 and 23 must move before .all of. the toggle mechanisms are 1 finally released.

If it is desired to close the interrupter, the handle lever 16-i s moved downwardly to turnthe shaft'15, and thus thelevers 32, 17 and 28 that areangularly disposed about the shaft will become effective in succes-' sion. I

l/Vhen the lever arm 32 is actuated, itspin 33 first moves toward the upper end of the slot 3% and thus constitutes a'toggle mechanism for actuating the lever arm 8 and the Of course,

when the toggle mechanism passes over its dead-center position the links37 and 40 will have been moved torzsuch positionsand so 7 lever arm 10, and the links 22 and 25 will held by theprojection 42 that the lever arm 8 is maintainedin its closed position. 7 ;When the pin 33 begins to movetoward the lower part ofthe slot 34, the pin .18 of the lever arm 17 will be in such position with respect'to its slot 20. as to actuate the serve to hold the lever arm 10 in its closed position. V 5 7 Further movement of the shaft 15 causes the pin 18 tomove to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the toggle mechanism, comprising thelever 28 and link 30, is actuated. to 4 the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

the appended claims.

Thu s, the units 5 and I are actuated successively to close the various contact members of the interrupter.

If it isfde'sired to successlvelybpeni the. r

various units, the handle lever'16i-is released, and the toggle mechanism comprising the lever 28 and link 30 buckle to perand, after the pin.33 hasreachedtheend of its upward movement path in the slot 34:,

i the toggle mechanism, comprising the lever 32 and Ilink 35,-will per'mi-tthe lever arm'8 to'move downwardly. n

lVith my invention, successive-operation of various units of an interrupter may be obtained by means ofrasingle operatingide- V1C8.-

My invention is not limited thejspec'ific structure illustrated, as it may be variously. modified without departing'from the spirit andscope of the invention as set forth in I I claim as my invention 1 1. In a circuit interrupter, the combina tion'with a plurality-of movable contact .m'embers,and a single operating member; of

a plurality of toggle devicesoperatively connectedbetween the 'movablecontactmeme bers and the single operating member' for actuatingthe contact members in .a predetermined sequen-ce in response to a single movemen'tof the operating member.

2. In a circuit. interrupter, the combinathe operating member that'the contactfmemsequence. v V 3 3. In a circuit 1nterrupter,: the combina- ;tion with a pluralityof movableicontact -members, and a single operatingfmember, V of-a plurality oftoggle'devicesconnectedlto i "theroperating member at all times for so connecting the movablecontact members to .bers shall be actuated in a predetermined tion with three movablemembers and asingle operat ng member, of three dissimilar toggle mechanisms torso operatively connecting the respective movable members to the operative member that the" movable, members shall be actuated V in a in predeter mined sequence.

fl. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with three movable members and mingle operating member, of three dissimilar holding toggle mechanisms for so opera tively connecting the respective movable. members to the operating member that the,

movable members shall be latched closed in p determined 1 5. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with three pivotally mounted contactcarrying lever arms, and a rotatable actuating shaft, of a toggle device connected between the shaft and one lever arm, and two lost-motion toggle devices connected between the shaft and the other lever arms, saidtoggle devices being displaced with respect to each other to obtain sequential operation of the lever arms.

6. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a plurality of contact-carrying lever arms and a common actuating device therefor, of a plurality of displaced toggle devices connected at all times between the actuating device and the respective lever arms for effecting the successive operation thereof.

7. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with three contact-carrying lever arms and a common actuating shaft therefor, of a toggle mechanism connected between one lever arm and the shaft, and two pin-andslot lost-motion toggle mechanisms connected between the shaft and the other lever arms.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day of Sept,

CHRISTIAN AALBORG. 

